Junk basket



July 14, 1953 w. w. FORTENBERRY 5,

JUNK BASKET Fiied Sept. 25, 1949 {sheets-sneer. 1.

T T 4 .y 52

any EM y 5 w. w. FORTENBERRY 2,645,

JUNK BASKET Filed-8915f: 25, 1949 2-:Sheets-Sheet 2 I 80 o o 9 l0 76. I6

re Fig. l0. Fig.

In vmfor williamm Farienberry Patented July.14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William W. FortenberrnPerryton, Tex. Application September 23, 1949, Serial No. 117,362

This invention relates to junk baskets of the type used to clean out debris from oil well holes and more specifically to improvement on junk baskets involving the use of valves and the flow of drilling fluid therethrough.

The primary object of the present invention is to utilize the circulation of fluid to not only assist entrapment of debris within the junk basket, but to selectively classify the same according to size for more effective retainment during removal of the junk basket from thewell hole.

Another important object is to provide a junk basket in accordance with the foregoing object that is adapted to encompass and trap debris and which will be durable and efficient for the intended use.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a retaining chamber for large objects and .a second chamber for retaining smaller objects, and a construction wherein the first mentioned chamber has a diameter the same as the internal diameter of the annularly disposed cutting teeth.

Another important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of rotatable catchers and the use of jets to break up andclassify debris according to size.

A final important feature of the present invention to be specifically enumerated herein resides in the: provision of upwardly directed high velocity jets for inducing a secondary circulation to cause junk to move'readily into the junk basket.

These, together with various ancillary objects and advantages of the invention which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view of the present invention, the outlet passages being shown in dotted line, and thepath of forced fluid circulation being indicated by arrows; I

Figure 2 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken on the: plane of the section line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken upon the plane of the broken section line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken upon the plane of the section line 4-4 of Figurel;

Figure 5 is another horizontal transverse sectional view taken upon the plane of the section 6 Claims. (Cl. 166- 19) 2 line 5-5 of Figure 1 showing the catcher valve closed; 1

Figure 6 is a bottom plan view of the junk basket showing the catcher valve closed;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view upon the plane of the section line 'l1 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a detailed vertical sectional view' of a catcher taken upon the plane of the section line 8-8 in Figure 7, showing the finger and spring arrangement;

Figure 9 is a side elevational view of the head with parts broken away;

Figure-10 is a side elevational view of theupper liner'with partsbroken away;

Figure .11 is a side elevational view of the lower liner;

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of the bowl with parts broken away; I

Figure 13 is a side elevational view of the milling or cutting head, with parts being broken away;

Figure 14 is a horizontal transverse sectional view of the head taken upon the plane of the section line I4--l 4 of Figure 9;

Figure 15 is a horizontal transverse sectional view of the head taken upon the plane of the section line l5l5 of Figure9; and,

Figure 16 is a fragmentary vertical sectional detail view showing one of the discharge jets carried by the lower liner.

Reference is now made more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate" similar parts throughout the various views, and inwhich the numeral 10 indicatesa head generally. Asshown in Figures 1 and 9, the head is substantially cylindrical with a reduced upper portion I2, and has an upper axial bore I4,

that is threaded for engagement with a drill stem or the like (not shown). The head has a lower axialbore I 6 that is threaded for a purpose to be set forth hereinafter.

A hollow cylinder or bowl I8 threadingly en-' gages the lower threaded end of the head ID as at 20.

Received in spaced relationship within the bowl and threadingly engaging the head l0 within the bore I6 is the upper liner 22. As best shown in Figures 1 and 10, the latter is substantially a hollow cylinder, the upper end of which. is reduced forming a shoulder 23 to retain packing 26 between the head land the liner 22.

The lower end of the upper liner 22 is internally threaded for threaded engagement with a lower liner 28" as at 30'. As best shown in Figures l and 11, the lower liner is received in the bowl l8 and is provided with circumferentially spaced lugs 32 which space the liners and 28 from the The liner 23 has an upwardly extending discharge tube 3-; that extends into the upper liner 22, being spaced from the inside wall thereof to define an annular well 36 therebetween. The discharge tube t l has a plurality of substantia y triangular, resilient strips 38 riveted or otherwise suitably secured thereon as at 653, that are bent so as to converge generally to a point A milling head ll is threaded to the lower end of the bowl id as at 55, and the arrangement,

best shown in Figure 1, is such that the upper end of the head l l seats against an annular rim at on the lower end of the lower liner 23 as at 56, so. that tightening of the. milling head id on the bowl will make a tight, seal between the lower end of the liner 2% and the bowl it.

The lower end of the head dd has an annular cutting surface formed on the plurality of projections or teeth The head at i iollow and is counterbored to form a shoulder 5d upon which catchers til are rotatably received within the head is. I

The catcher consists of a cylindrical sleeve 58 and as best shown in Figures 7 and 8 is pro- Vided with an annular groove es. A plurality of fingers 62, preferably of the shape and in the arrangement shown in Figure 5, are hinged to the sleeve 58 by pins The ends of thefingers t2 embrace the pins ed and are slotted for the insertion of springs 5t. It will be seen in Figure 8 that the springs 66 urge-the fingers to the horizontal position shown, but that the fingers 62 may be raised, whereupon the fingers will rotate about the pins til to a recessed position Within the groove til.

'When one catcher is used, it rests upon the shoulder Fi l, and if more than one is used (two being shown in Figure 1) they are placed to rest upon each other. In any event, the catchers 5E are of a diameter permitting their rotation within the head M; and the sleeves 58 preferably have an internaldiameter equal or greater than the inside diameter of the toothed end of the head 44. The catchers 56 are retained in the, head 44, as shown in Figure 1, between the lower liner 2% and the shoulder t l.

The head Ed has a partition til between the bores i l and i6, and is provided with a plurality of lateral bores H3, which with vertical bores 12 in the sides of the head ill, communicate between the bore 54 and the space '54 inside the bowl 553 that surrounds the liners 22 and 28. The vertical bores 72 are preferably formed by drilling from the lower end of the head it! and the passages 18 are easily formed by drilling and closing the ends of the bores with threaded plugs it. The space M communicates with the interior of the liner 28 through a plurality of upwardly directed inlet ports 18. Finally, the bore it communicates withthe outside of the assembly through outlet passages Ell. The passages 8d are spaced between the bores l6 and l2, and are preferably directed upwards and outwards through the partition t8 and the sides of the head Hi.

It will be understood that fluid entering the bore 1 1 under pressure will pass through the bores ill and 12 to the space between the bowl and the liners 22 and 2 3, thence through the ports 18 to the inside of the lower liner 28, as indicated by the flow arrows ill. The fluid will then proceed up the discharge tube 34 and 4 through the strips 38 which yield to permit the forced flow of fluid to the bore [6 and finally out the passages 80.

As shown in Figures 1 and 16, there are preferably a plurality of levels of inlet ports 78, the lowest of which will be immediately above the level of the top catcher 56. I

It will be understood that any number of inlet ports 13 may be employed commensurate with the limitations of the pumping equipment (not shown) used to circulate the drilling fluid. The inlet ports 18 are formed to introduce the fluid as a plurality of high velocity jets, and for this purpose are formed of upwardly and inwardly inclined bosses 82 upon the inner wall or the liner 28, that are bored and internally threaded to receive choke plugs or jet nozzles t l that are in turn provided with small diameter bores 86.

The plugs M are preferably removable to enable the operator to use plugs 84 having different size bores 86 or to plug up some of the ports 18 entirely, dependent upon the'efiect desired and the capacity of the pumping equipment.

Nozzles 34 are preferably directed to converge the jetted streams of fluid for increased turbulence and impact effect.

The junk basket in operation functions as follows: the junk basket is lowered slowly in the hole as it approaches the junk that it is desired to remove, while circulating the drilling fluid. This will wash over or scour away small material that has caved in over the junk, by virtue of the suction caused by the upwardly directed jets. As soon as the junk basket is substantially on the bottom of the hole the drill stem (which may have already been rotating) will be rotated to cause rotation of the junk basket and the cutting teeth 52 so as to mull over and cut around and cause the milling head to embrace material as the junk basket moves downward due to the drilling or cutting action. The material or debris moving up through the fingers 62, which permit such advance, will snare such debris once within the head 44.

The debris will proceed up through the levels of the inlet ports 18, at which level it is subjected to the shattering impact of the jets of pressure drilling fluid. This tends to disperse clay, shale, soft sandstone and the like. These and other smaller pieces of debris are carried upward by the fluid velocity through the tube 34, and through the spring strips 38, as they will open by action of fluid pressure. The fluid velocity slackens once through the strips 38, because of the increased flow pattern cross sectional area, which results in upward carried debris of larger size falling back into the annular well 36, in accordance with Stokes Law, as will be understood.

It will be noted that a secondary fluid circulation is induced by the jet of fluid due to the upward slant of the nozzles 84. This circulation is the movement of fluid outside the junk basket up between the teeth 52 and into the head 44. Such secondary circulation is sufiicient to clean and cool the teeth and materially assist in the upward movement of junk and cuttings in the into fragments smallenough'to be carried out of the junkbasket and well hole by the drilling fluid. 1 Although it-is preferred that the milling head 44 be provided with teeth 52,the cutting ele- ,ments may be of any suitable type either rotatable or non-rotatable.

The advantages of this improved junk basket are numerous. Rotatable positioning of the catchers in the milling head 44, prevents the breaking of the fingers 62, due to the relative movement between the head 44 andthe debris.

junkbasket herein disclosed resides in the fact that the induced secondary circulationpreviously referred to obviates any necessity for the expensive equipmentand the time consumed in changing the pump arrangement at the well head to reverse the direction of pressure fluid flow, that is,

down around the outside of the drill stem thence upwardly within the drill stem.

The classifiication of debris according to size within the junk basket is important in that debris is prevented from clogging the openings 80, and that small debris cannot slip around larger material and be lost back into the hole upon raising the junk basket.

Of course, hard objects, such as broken tools or the like which will be resistant to the pulverizing action remain in the head 44 and are trapped by the fingers 62. The head 44 is materially assisted in the embracing such debrisby the removal of the smaller material; in that space is provided in the junk basket for reception of the same.

The construction disclosed makes it apparent that much labor and expense may be saved in utilizing the device. For instance, only a small portion of the device need be replaced or removed for repair in order to improve the cutting surface when, worn or dull. Complete inspection of the device is simple and easy, in view of its discerpti- ,ble construction.

' as new is:

1. In a junk basket including an elongated casing having upper and lower ends, an upper head secured to the upper end of said casing, a milling head secured to the lower end of said casing and including a reduced upper portion extending upwardly into the lower end of said casing, an inner elongated tubular member disposed axially within said casing between said heads and having an upper threaded end, said upper head having an internally threaded axial recess receivably engaging the upper end of said tubular member, a flange on the outer periphery of said tubular member at its lower end and seated on the upper reduced portion of said milling head, the inaccaaeo ber to define a fluid entrancechamber about said tubular member, said upper head having a blind bore, in its upper end and entrance passages communicating with said chamber and said bore, said upper head also having outlet passages communicatingwith said recess, and spray nozzles on the inner periphery of said tubular member and inclining upwardly toward the upper end of said tubular member and communicating with the fluidentrance chamber about the tubular member. l 2. In a junk basket including an elongated casing having upper and lower ends, an upper head secured to the upper end of said casing, a milling within saidcasing between said heads and having an upper threaded end, said upper head having an internally threaded axial recess receivably engaging the upper end or said tubular member, a

"flange on the outer periphery of said tubular member at its lower end and seated on the up- .per reduced portion of said milling head, the inner periphery of said casing being spaced laterally from the outer periphery of said tubular member to define a fluid entrance chamber about said tubular member, said upper head having a blind bore in its upper end and entrance passages communicating with said chamber and said bore, said upper head also having outlet passages communicating with said recess, a plurality of the upper end of said second chamber, the partition between the first and second chambers, a valved conduit mounted in the partition and communicating between the chambers, said conner periphery of said casing being spaced laterally from the outer periphery of said tubular mem- ,duit extending upwardly into the second chamber, said conduit being spaced from the sides of the second chamber to define an annular Well surrounding the conduit, passage means in the body for introducing a fluid under pressure into the first chamber, said passage means having outlet terminals located in the first chamber and communicable with said first chamber and said passage means having inlet terminals located at the upper end of the upper head and opening upwardly therethrough so that a tubing string con nected to the upper head i communicable with said first chamber, and further passage means located in the upper portion of the second chamber and communicating between the second chamber and the outside of the body for introducing a fluid therefrom and permitting solids to settle out of the fluid and drop into the annular well, said valved conduit comprising a tubular member, and a plurality of resilient fingers secured to the upper end of the tubular member and extending upwardly therefrom in converging relation to define an inverted cone shape for preventing material dropping into the tubular member and also for directing the same into the annular well.

4, In a junk basket, an improvement comprising an elongated body having first and second chambers therein with the second chamber being disposed above the first chamber, arr-upper head forming part of the body and attached to the upper end of said second chamber, the parti-- tion between the first and second chambers, a

valved conduit moLmted in the partition and communicating between the chambers, said conduit extending upwardly into the second chamber, said conduit being spaced from the sides of the second chamber to define an annular Well surrounding the conduit, passage means in the body -for introducing a fluid under pressure into the first chamber, said passage means having outlet terminals located in the first chamber and communicable with said first chamber and said passage means having inlet terminals located at the upper end of the upper head and opening upwardly therethrough so that a tubing string con- Lnected to the upper head is communicable with said first chamber, and further passage means located in the upper portion of the second chamber and communicating between the second "chamber and the outside of the body for introducing a fluid therefrom and permitting solids to settle out of the fluid and drop into the annular well, said valved conduit comprising a tubular'member, and a plurality of resilient fingers secured to the upper end of the tubular member and extending upwardly therefrom in converging relation to define an inverted cone shape for preventing material dropping into the tubular member and also for directing the same into the annular Well, said first chamber including an axial opening in the body anda check valve in said opening.

5. In a junk basket, an improvement comprising an elongated body having first and second chamberstherein with the second chamber being disposed above the first chamber, an upper head forming part of-the body and attached to the upper end of said second chamber, the partition between the first and second chambers, a valved conduit mounted in the partition and communicating between the chambers, said conduit extending upwardly into the second chamber, said conduit being spaced from the sides of the second chamber to define an annular well surrounding the conduit, passage means in the body for introducing a fluid under pressure into the first chamber, said passage means having outlet terminals located in the first chamber and communicable with said first chamber and said passage means having inlet terminals located at the upper end of the upper head and opening up- 'wardly therethrough so that a tubing string connected to the upper head is communicable with said first chamber, and further passage means located in the upper portion of the second chamber and communicating between the second chamber and the outside of the body for introducing a fluid therefrom and permitting solids to settle out of the fluid and drop into the annular well, said valved conduit comprising a tubular member, and a plurality of resilient fingers secured to theupper end of the tubular member and extending upwardly therefrom in converging V relation to define an inverted cone shape for predischarge ports are directed upwardly in converging relation.

' WILLIAM W. FORTENBERRY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 Number Name Date I 156,631 Fritz et al. Nov. 10, 1874 2,054,278 Wright et a1. Sept. 15, 1936 2,124,772 Flury July 26, 1938 2,159,249 Brantly May 23, 1939 2,169,922 Notley Aug. 15, 1939 2,181,187 Jennings Nov. 28, 1939 Costin Feb. 25, 1947 

